Dipper's Wheel
by The Howling Behemoth
Summary: Dipper didn't want the adventure in Gravity Falls to end just so he could go and live a normal life, so he ran away from home. Once back, he begins making deals to gain power to create his own...read and find out. Dipper harem. Eventual Wendip/Dipcifica. Possible Tamdip, undecided.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own 'Gravity Falls'.

 **A happy ending isn't always the happy ending for everyone.**

* * *

 **Happily Never After**

Dipper traversed through the woods in silence.

It was a long journey to get here. It had taken him many, many hours, more than half a day actually.

On his back was a backpack that was filled with everything that he'd need. He checked his list four times just to be sure.

He came to a _seemingly_ normal part of the woods, if anything in the forest could be called such.

Dipper came to a spot that seemed to rise with moss and other debris. Slowly, he made his way to the mound and began wiping the mess off of it until it revealed a triangular figure with it's arm extended. It was the defeated remains of Bill Cipher.

Dipper stared at the stone for a moment as he steeled his resolve.

"Hey Bill, I don't know if you can hear me." Dipper began awkwardly. "You shouldn't be able to since your consciousness has been removed, then erased and all, but I wouldn't be surprised if you could."

He was greeted with silence. That was...reassuring, he doubt he'd be able to continue if Bill's statue was still...sentient. Even a smidgen of Bill being active was infinitely too much.

"We beat you." Dipper stated. "I didn't come here to gloat, but I couldn't resist. After everything that's happened, my family and I beat you." He sighed. "But you still won."

More silence.

"Yeah, you're trapped in stone, but at least you aren't conscious enough to suffer." Dipper continued. "I'm conscious."

More silence.

"I know what you're-what you would be thinking." He corrected. "How does me, a normal teenage boy, being conscious and free compare to you, a being who had unimaginable power, now nothing but stone?"

The statue was still silent, though the air was now still, as if it itself was awaiting an answer.

"Bill, that summer I had was the best thing in my entire life." Dipper stated melancholy. "I had everything I wanted, adventure, mystery and true friends. Sure, there were monsters that tried to kill me and then their was you. A being that tried to use _and_ kill me. My friends. And my family." He sighed "And we beat them, we beat you, and now it's over."

He sighed, he felt as if he were _tasting_ such a bitter thought.

"It's over." He repeated.

That last word hung heavy on Dipper for an unstated reason.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Dipper asked. "Go home, live normal lives, wait until next summer then hope to come back. Then what?" He asked slightly frustrated. "Repeat the process over and over until we're grown up and have to _move on_ with life?" The words were foul in his mouth. "Make cartoons about our adventures?" He asked. "Tell the stories to people who'll think that it's just that, stories."

That would probably work for Mabel, or anyone else in the world. Not him.

"Now the story's over and it's time for the Happily Ever After." He stated with air quotes. "Well not all of us _want_ a Happily Ever After! Some of us don't want it to end!" He shouted, more to the world than the statue itself. "Some of us thrive on the adventure!"

Dipper looked at the statue, it hadn't moved in the slightest to his outburst. Good.

"Grunkle Stan, both Stans have their Happily Ever after. They're sailing into the unknown together." Dipper couldn't help but chuckle as a lone tear fell. "They deserve it." He sighed. "I missed my chance to sail with Grunkle Ford, my chance to learn from him, but I don't...regret the decision."

He didn't. But there's always that one stray though in a person's mind. A _What If?_

 _It's a good thing that both Grunkles are gone._ Dipper thought. _Otherwise one of them would try and stop me._

"I know what you would be thinking, or what a rational person would." He clarified. "There's still plenty of mystery left in Gravity Falls, in the world."

There was plenty of weirdness out there that had never been answered for, things he could probably get the answers to.

"Well it wouldn't be the same." Dipper stated. "Maybe it's the teenage angst talking, but it's how I feel."

It could be, he was more emotionally distraught since his and Mabel's birthday.

"So what am I doing here, right?" Dipper questioned for the statue. "If it's not the same, what's the point? Well I plan on starting a new adventure, one with no end in sight. That will be _my_ Happily ever After."

 _An ending that had no end._ He chuckled at the conundrum. _Talk about a paradox._

"In a way Bill, I want to make a deal with you." Dipper stated. "I plan to free you...in away."

If the statue could move, it'd raise it's eyebrow in confusion.

"See your body is still here." Dipper stated. "I don't know how, seeing as your friends and all your weirdness was taken back into your world. But I'm not complaining, in fact, I'm happy." He paused. "Well, happy isn't the right word." He corrected. "But it's the closest one that describes the situation."

Dipper pulled out a book, one of Ford's Journals. Journal 2 to be exact. One that had been used by Gideon. It wasn't the exact same one, that had been destroyed. This was just one of the copies of the Journals that his Grunkle Stan _ley_ had made.

"You once stated that you're a being of pure energy with no weakness." Dipper stated. "And you probably were." He added. "But now, now you're an empty vessel."

Dipper looked at the statue, waiting for it to prove him wrong. Just the slightest thing, a twitch or a chuckle in the air.

"Here's a fact, energy can't be destroyed, nothing can. Things can be changed...converted...dispersed, but nothing can really be destroyed. It's why Ford and I saw no reason to smash you into rubble, it would make no difference." He explained. "But you're out there somewhere, in some way. Waiting to come back in some way. Maybe as an incarnation, or just a whisper in someone's ear."

Was that why he was here, whatever was left of Bill whispered this crazy plan to him?

It would just prove Dipper's theory to be correct. Nothing, not even conscious thought, could be destroyed. It was proven by both Grunkle Stan and, to a lesser degree, Fiddleford.

"I don't know for sure. Heck, consciousness is nothing but thought and thought is energy. Synapses firing away in the brain. But this," He motioned to the statue. "This is a vessel, and it's empty. I intend to free the vessel, but not whatever consciousness is left."

He turned to the desired page.

Possession Incantation

As the name implied it was a possession spell, one that came with a single warning.

One time use!

 _Lucky for me._ Dipper thought. _One time is all I'll need._

"As I stated, you're now just an empty vessel, no consciousness." Dipper stated. "Well possession is just pushing your consciousness onto another's. And now my consciousness is going to be yours."

Dipper began reading the spell.

* * *

Melody began closing up when she saw the lone figure of one

"Hey Soos, we got one more." She called. "Should I send him away?"

"You know what Mr. Pines would say." Soos spoke as he walked up towards her. "Never send away someone who wants to give you money."

The couple turned the sign from closed to open and went to greet the hopeful customer. Once he was close enough to make out who it was, Soos couldn't contain his joy.

"Dude!" Soos called in excitement.

"Hey Soos, missed me?" Dipper asked.

He was indeed happy to see one of his friends, even if said friend was wearing an eye-patch for some reason.

 _It seems Soos has been busy._ Dipper thought as he walked around the shack to take in the site of it.

The place was no longer falling apart, it seemed Soos wasn't as cheap as Grunkle Stan when it came to fixing the place. Guess it helped when he could do the work himself. It still had the Under New Management sign hanging up.

"So where's the little Ham Bone?" Soos asked as he looked around.

"It's just me." Dipper answered.

This caught both Soos and Melody's attention. Though the man-child wasn't as alarmed, just curious.

"What's with the eye-patch?" Soos asked.

Dipper hand flew towards the patch that covered his eye. He didn't answer.

"Hey Soos, can I have a favor?" Dipper asked suddenly. "One Pterodactyl bro to another."

* * *

It was late in the evening.

The shack was quite, Dipper was sure that Melody and Soos had retired to their room for the evening.

His favor was to stay there for the night. Soos was more than happy to oblige, though he was a little disappointed when Dipper went straight to the room and stayed there.

Dipper made his way to the bathroom as silently as possible, which wasn't hard. It seemed that Soos had fixed most of the creaky floor boards.

Once inside, he headed straight for the mirror and examined himself. Taking a breath to calm himself, he removed the eye-patch. Staring back at him was his reflection, but there was one flaw.

Dipper's left eye.

It wasn't his usual brown eye. The sclera of his eye was a pale, almost sickly, yellow. His pupil was elongated into a vertical slit. It wasn't his eye, it was Bill Cipher's, or what was left of him.

There was a ringing sound. A phone. Thanks to the silence of the shack, it seemed to echo all around the place, even in the bathroom. So did it's abrupt stop as it was answered by Soos, Dipper could even here the conversation.

"Hey hey, calm down little dude!" Soos spoke frantically. "I can't understand you." There was a moment of silence as he no doubt listened to the other end. "What do you mean Dipper's missing...he ran away?"

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	2. Chapter 2

I do not own 'Gravity Falls' This chapter was made in collaboration with 'The-Cowardly-Christian' formally known as 'du911'.

 **The Wheel**

Dipper awoke feeling better rested than he had in weeks. It was nice to be back on his comfortably uncomfortable mattress. There was no noisy neighbors or loud cars, just the sound of trees swaying and random sounds from equally random creatures. It was good to be back.

He looked himself over in the mirror. After getting ready for the day he was wearing his usual gear with the added addition of his eye patch. He thought it looked good.

Dipper made his way down to the shop part of the building. He saw Melody and Soos close together having a hushed whisper conversation. As soon as they noticed him they ended it.

 _Must be about me._ Dipper thought. _Best to not let on._ He decided to start off with a casual conversation to help lighten the mood. "Not a busy day huh?"

The shack was completely empty, something Dipper had never seen before. Even when they were slow, there was always that one customer that prowled around for one odd thing or another.

This seemed to have the opposite affect of what he wanted. "Yeah, ever since Stan left people have been thinking that the shack isn't the same." Soos stated sadly.

"Well...it's not." Dipper admitted with a smile, hoping to bring his friend up. "This place is cleaner and actually fixed up."

Soos looked down in sadness. "Yeah, Stan would be so disappointed in me for spending all that money."

No doubt the cheap shyster would have brought the cheapest material and had it installed by the cheapest worker. While Soos was able to do the work himself, he wasn't one for cutting corners. It seemed to be having an affect in the long run.

"You okay Soos?" Dipper asked worried.

"Stan was the closest thing to a dad." Soos stated openly. "I always wanted to be like him, and owning the shack was my biggest dream. Looks like I failed at that."

Dipper looked at the man-child he called friend. Melody put a comforting hand on him, bringing a smile to his face.

"Grunkle Stan was a sly, greedy and cantankerous old man with a heart of...not gold. Bronze? Copper?" Dipper stated factually. "It's one thing to admire him, but I doubt you should be like him."

"But I'm Mr. Mystery!" Soos protested. "Stan left the title and shack to me, I can't let him down! I just-I just can't."

Dipper watched as his friends shoulder dropped in defeat. He hadn't seen Soos this upset since the fiasco with his birthday.

"You really want this place to thrive?"

Soos stood straight and looked forward with an air of determination."More than anything in the world." Melody makes a coughing sound in the background. "Something wrong Melody, need a cough drop?"

"Then break the cycle!" Dipper exclaimed. "You're already on the way!" He motioned to Melody. "You have a nice girlfriend! Your own business, which you legally own and no portal in the basement!" Dipper paused as he considered the last one. "You're not building a portal in the basement are up?"

"...It's not a portal." Soos stated while not meeting his friend's eye.

 _Going to question that later._ Dipper thought. "You can start a whole new gig. Instead of going for the whole mysterious act, you can do the shock and awe!"

"Mijo, your unnatural friend is right." A voice spoke, all eyes turned to see Soos' grandmother. "You can make this place into something amazing!"

Soos was contemplative. He really wanted the shack to prosper, and he felt that it was his responsibility to make it happen. After all, Mr. Pine had entrusted the place to him. Sometimes change was necessary.

"I can help you Soos." Dipper stated eagerly. "If you let me stay here."

Melody had been quite for most of this, but found that part distressing. She was all for being a free-spirit, but this was still a kid.

"Dipper, I can't let you stay here in good consciousness." Melody spoke kindly. "You ran away from home."

That changed the air in the room entirely, all attention was on Dipper. He was a little uncomfortable with all the eyes on him.

"I did." Dipper admitted.

"We have to get you home, your family must be worried about you." Melody stated.

Dipper didn't meet Melody's eyes, she was a nice woman, but she didn't know him. That didn't mean her words weren't true. He had left without telling anyone anything, who knows how worried his parents are. And his sister, she knew what was out there.

"Yeah dude, don't abandon your family."

"I didn't abandon them." Dipper assured. "I just-"

"I spoke to Mabel, they're worried about you." Soos knelt down to his friends level. Dipper wasn't used to the look in the man-child's eyes, it was too real. "Please Dipper, don't be like my dad."

There was a awkward and sad silence between the people in the shack. Soos' dad abandoning him and never visiting was a hard thing. The idea that a kid was well on his way to doing something similar was wrong.

"Soos, allow me to speak to your unnatural friend." The elderly woman urged.

Soos nodded and obeyed. He and Melody made their way out of the room leaving Dipper and the elderly woman alone.

 _I wonder what she'll say._ Dipper thought. She was an elderly woman who no doubt spent years in this weird town, Dipper was sure her words would be memorable. But what? Words of wisdom? Some information that could be of use for his plans.

"I don't like you."

"...What?" That had to literally be the last thing he had expected.

"Listen here soñar demonio." The elderly woman spoke kindly, betraying her words. "I have been around for a long time and have seen many things. You have the look of a one who's seen and knows too much, especially for a child." Dipper unconsciously reached for his eye, his normal one. Were his facial expressions really that detailed? "You will do things with determination and certainty, not letting anything or anyone stop you."

"Thank y-"

"But all that means nothing to me." She states, shocking Dipper with her bluntness.

Had he offended her in some way. "I'm...sorry?"

"I'm an old woman and all I have left in life is my Soos. I want him happy and secure, and he is on his way to that." She stated fondly. "He has a woman, a job, and a home. A lot of it is thanks to you." She pulled out a book, it was labeled Soos's diary. "I know of your influence on mijo, and I thank you for...some of it."

 _She must have read about our adventures._ Dipper thought. _Or followed us._ He remembered how she had followed them during Soos' date, he hadn't noticed her until she revealed herself. For the first time he was beginning to wonder about this seemingly sweet lady. How skilled was she? How much more did she know?

Dipper gave a half smile, unsure if it was appropriate for the situation. He didn't understand the elderly woman at all. This was the lady that raised the lovable Soos? She seemed to be caring but her bluntness was unsettling.

"Thank...you?" He asked more than stated.

"I will talk to Soos, convince him." She stated, to Dipper's relief. "You do right by my boy, as right as he will by you, and all will be fine." She stated before losing her smile for the first time in so long. "But if you misuse my Soos..." She stopped as she let the words hang in the air. "Do you wonder why Soos no longer gets letters from his deadbeat dad?" She asked as she looked away from him out the window.

Dipper who was shaking his head negative. "No."

"Let's just say such good work is hard to find." She stated as she regained her ever present smile. "Especially when you bury it deep enough."

The elderly woman turned back to look at the teen only to see an empty spot. Her smile didn't waver. It seemed her message got across to him. Soos' life was her Soap Opera, and what was a life without a little excitement of some kind here and there.

* * *

Dipper sat in the Greasy Diner, eating a coffee omelette. He could taste the coffee and omelette separately. It was...strange, to say the least, but he liked it. It took his mind off of the elderly lady that raised his friend.

He had been in the place for a few hours now, too unnerved to head back. But being here was also a blessing. He looked at the clock, it was nearly 4 P.M.

 _Any minute now._ He thought.

He didn't know when schools in this town let out, but it had to be soon. No school, that he knew of, held a student after four at the latest. This didn't include those who stayed back for extra work or detention.

 _They aren't the type who want extra work._ He thought with a chuckle. Detention wasn't off the table though.

He looked down at the Journal in his hand, one not made by the Author, his Great uncle Ford. This was one of Dipper's, It was a midnight blue and it had a Pine Tree on it.

In it was the Cipher wheel, filled with all ten zodiac symbols. Across from it was another wheel, the center was a picture of a Pine Tree. The ten boxes for the zodiacs were blank. For now.

The door to the diner opened with a bell ring. He looked towards the entrance and saw them. Nate, Lee, Thompson, Tambry, Robbie and Wendy. She was still wearing his Pinetree hat. _Then again, I still have her hat._ He thought as he felt it's warmth on his head.

It didn't take long for them to notice him. As soon as they did, they rushed to his table and began bombarding him with questions.

"Dr. Funtimes!"

"Dude, what happened?"

"Couldn't stay away from us, could you?" Wendy asked, playing cool.

"No, I really couldn't." Dipper answered honestly, _trying_ to play cool.

There was a moment of silence as the seriousness of the situation fell over them.

 _No doubt Mabel sent them a call about me._ Dipper thought as he eyed them with his good eye. _Or Soos, if he's really as chatty as Wendy said._

"What's with the eye patch?" Wendy asked. "Trying to be like Stan?"

"How have things been since Mabel and I left?" Dipper asked, ignoring the question. "The weirdness I mean."

"Things have been...quite." Wendy answered honestly.

Dipper nodded in understanding, since he's been back, he's noticed a lack of...strangeness. If he had to guess, the supernatural migrated back into their homes in the woods. A silent understanding between the towns people and the monsters. They stay in the woods and the people to the town.

"So, do you miss it?" Dipper asked.

"I don't." Robbie answered.

"I do." Nate answered.

"I don't." Lee added.

"That's cause you're a wimp!" Nate stated as he punched his friend in the arm.

"No, you are!" Lee said as he returned the punch. "I'm not scared!"

Wendy took a little more time to consider her answer. "I've got to admit, after last Summer, everything else seems..."

"Weak...mundane...boring?"

"I was going to say normal."

"So all of the above." Dipper nodded.

This earned a small chuckle from Wendy, which soon extended to her friends. Minus Robbie.

"When did you become a smooth joker?" Wendy asked impressed. "Might have to kick Thompson out and give you his place in our little group."

"What!?" Thompson asked, horrified.

"She's joking Thompson." Lee reassured.

"Yeah man, you know we need you!" Nate stated as he pulled him into a headlock, making the larger teen smile. "You're the only one of us with a drivers license!" And like that, the smile was gone.

"Why are we just sitting here talking to him instead of calling the cops?" Robbie asked in annoyance.

"Don't mind him." Wendy spoke to calm the situation. "He's just mad that you did a better job of running away than he did. He didn't make it to Lazy Susan's diner by sun down before he was crying to his mom."

"D-Don't tell that to the kid!" Robbie grumbled, red with embarrassment. "Besides, that was a long time ago!"

"It was the Summer before you arrived."

Dipper couldn't help but chuckle at the odd group of friends.

"It's okay, but to answer your question." Dipper paused as he considered the answer. "You're all curious."

"What?"

"The reason you all haven't called the cops, minus the fact that they're hopeless." He added, which they agreed to. "You're curious as to my 'why' and, to a lesser extent, my 'how'?

Wendy cleared her throat, time to get serious. " _Why'd_ you run away Dipper? Did some bullies from your home come after you and harass you too much?"

If so, then her and her friends would be paying them a visit.

Dipper shook his head. "Nope. In fact, since I beat up that one bully that tried to steal Wendy's hat from me...they've been giving me a wide berth."

That was...unexpected. They were going to have to come back to that one. "Oh...Did something happen between you and your parents?"

Dipper shrugged. "Nope...our relationship isn't perfect, but it's okay."

"...Did you have creepy, prophetic dream?" Wendy asked, a little worried.

Dipper shook his head. "No, nothing like that."

Tambry looked at Dipper perplexed. "Well...why then?"

Dipper sighed before he pulled out a perfectly folded piece of paper. It was the paper that he, and Mabel, had been given the day they had left the strange town.

 _Oh no._ Wendy thought horrified. _This is going to be another love confession! He came back for me!_

Now that she thought about it telling him that he meant a lot to her was probably misleading. She did care for him...but he was so young!

"The 'normal' life...it's just not for me." Dipper stated honestly. "Before Gravity Falls...I was miserable...I didn't feel like I belonged anywhere...But all that time I was solving mysteries and fighting monsters...Sure it was terrifying and life threatening...but for the first time...ever...I felt...like I was home...for the first time...I felt happy...for the first time...I felt complete."

"So you just don't want to grow up?" Robbie snarked. "Grow up! No one wants Summer to end! Guess what kid, it will!"

"Why should it?" Dipper challenged. "Give me one good reason."

"Because...because it just can't last!" Robbie stated, with nothing to really back it up. "Time moves forward."

"I've traveled through time." Dipper stated as he stood. "I've been to the past and to the future and even alternates timelines, time doesn't move forward."

"...You've traveled through time?" Wendy asked.

"Several times in fact, you know what I learned?" The group shook their heads, awaiting an answer. "Nothing is set in stone, with both difficulty and annoyance time can be changed. I only changed it back to so Mabel could win Waddles."

"Where was I during this?" Wendy asked, intrigued.

"Getting hit in the eye with a ball." Dipper answered with a blush.

Wendy unconsciously rubbed her eye, she had had a strange since of deja vu the day they had that carnival.

There was another ringing of the bell as the door opened and in walked Shanda Jimenez and her camera man, followed by Sheriff Blubbs and Deputy Durland.

"There he is!" Someone shouted.

They began to crowd around Dipper, cornering him and the teens.

"Why did you return to Gravity Falls!?" She asked. "Are you here regarding the strange events of your departure?" She then gained a nervous look. "Are we having another Weird-Mageddon!?

"Maybe he came back to try my cooking." Lazy Susan offered.

"Lazy Susan, you sold me out?" Dipper asked in disbelief.

The woman gave a small shrug and a sheepish grin.

"Sorry kid." She apologized. "But this will be good for business, don't have a lot of opportunity for publicity."

"...You spent too much time with my Grunkle." Dipper stated, though he couldn't help but smile. _It seems everyone was affected by that man._

"Those four days we dated were fun." Susan stated with a smile. "He showed me how to increase my profit...I still can't figure out what happened to that money."

"Alright kid, but it's time to get you back home." Sheriff Blubbs stated. "Your little 'I decide my own fate' route is over."

"How did you know about that?"

Durland held up his phone, that was playing a video of them. "Well Tambry's been streaming you on her blogs since she got here."

All eyes turned to the teen in question. Tambry looked up from her phone at Dipper and shrugged before returning to it.

Dipper held his hands up in a placating manner to the town's law enforcers. Or what passed as closely as possible for law in this place.

"Come on Sheriff Blubbs, you and Deputy Durland are just like me!" Dipper stated un-accusingly. "You're hardcore F.C.L.O.R.P, you understand!"

"Understand what?"

"That reality is a prison of limitations!" Dipper exclaimed. "Just flat people with flat dreams, and you sought an escape in your imagination!"

There was a moment of awkward silence as the group looked around at each other. This time it was Blubbs who motioned to Dipper in a placating manner.

"Alright city boy, we'll just get you somewhere where they can give you something so that you don't feel all down in the dumps." The sheriff stated in a placating manner. "It'll all be rainbows for you."

This action made Dipper frown. He was being as serious as possible and this was what he got? They thought he was crazy. Even after everything that had happened!? Of course they wouldn't believe him!

Taking a breath to calm himself, Dipper put on his best smile. He would have to show them.

"And how do you plan to take me in?" Dipper asked with his wide smile. "You're unarmed."

Everyone looked to the sides of the law enforcers and saw that they were unarmed. Had they left the weapons somewhere?

Dipper stood on the table and took a bow before removing his hat and flipping it inside out to show everyone, then he turned it right-side in. Dipper then reached into his hat and pulled out a gun, Sheriff Blubbs' gun to be exact. Everyone backed away from the now armed child with a questionable mentality. Dipper just sat the gun down on the table, much to everyone's relief.

"Wendy." Dipper called. "Could you reach into your pockets, anyone of them will do."

Wendy reached into her pocket and felt something cold and hard inside, which was odd seeing as that pocket was empty when she came in. Hesitantly, she pulled out the items, she pulled out bullets that were supposed to be in the gun.

Dipper pointed his hands towards her dramatically. "My lovely assistant everyone!"

The people in the diner began clapping for the two, unaware that it wasn't a show.

"For more strangeness, visit the Mystery Shack and remember!" Dipper shouted. "The world is an illusion, reality is a hologram! Buy gold, bye!"

And like that, Dipper was gone before their eyes.

* * *

The teens were still in silent awe of Dipper's little exit. It was amazing!

"Any idea what Dipper's planning?" Nate asked Wendy.

They all looked towards her, expecting an answer. Not surprising since she spent the most time with him out of the group. The redhead could only shrug. Wendy was just as in the dark on this new Dipper as the rest of them.

"Look at what I found." Tambry spoke as she held up the phone for all of them to see.

It was a video of Dipper doing some work in his class while some kid decided to be the jerk.

 _"So what's with the hat freak?" Said jerk asked. "Deciding to be a lumberjack like that girl in you fairy-tales?"_

 _It seemed that Dipper was ignoring him, so much so that it actually seemed that he didn't notice the boy was there. Apparently the bully wasn't going to be deterred. He decided to snatch the hat from Dipper's head. That got a reaction from the boy._

 _Dipper slowly stood up and looked the jerk in the eyes._

 _"Give that back." Dipper ordered, oddly calm._

 _"Why?" The jerk pushed. "Gonna cut down some trees?" He continued taunting. "Oaks, Willows, pine-ahh!"_

The teens has to stop and refocus as the watched the videos.

 _There was Dipper, standing over a kid. The kid was holding his nose, blood profusely leaking from it. It was easy to decipher what had happened, but hard to comprehend that it was Dipper. Then again, the kid has done_ much _more extraordinary things._

 _"Do you even know why you're harassing me?" Dipper asked as if he didn't care. "Or why you harass anyone?"_

 _The boy didn't outright answer Dipper, he just sat there and trembled._

 _"No, I didn't think you would." Dipper stated almost absentmindedly. "You're nothing but a hamster, just running on your little wheel. The wheel. It seems everyone's following the wheel. Just following the wheel as it spins them through the cycles of their lives. The same thing, cycle after cycle."_

 _"Wha-what're you talking about?" The kid asked._

 _"You're just following the wheel." Dipper stated again. "You're just some kid who's going to grow up, have a family if you're lucky, grow old and pass on. Two generations later, you won't even matter."_

The group of teens cringed at the reminder of their own mortality.

 _"My strings have been cut, now I see that." Dipper stated as he looked up to the ceiling. "And I'm free."_

 _Dipper didn't bother explaining, he just turned and left._

With that, the video feed ended and the teens were even more confused than they were to begin with.

"What the heck was that?" Robbie asked.

"Don't know." Tambry answered. "Only one I could find, aren't anymore."

"Always knew he was a freak." Robbie stated.

"He's not a freak." Wendy stated distantly. "Just different."

"Some times I don't know what you see in him." Wendy stated as she watched the goth stalk off.

"Me either." Tambry stated as she lowered her phone to look at her boyfriend.

The teen let out a small groan as she felt a sudden pain in her head. She began to rub her temples, trying to sooth it.

"You okay?" Wendy asked.

"Yeah, just...fine." Tambry stated as she returned to her phone. "I guess you just can't decide who you fall in love with."

* * *

Dipper had to practically drag himself back to the Mystery Shack, he was exhausted. That little show of his had taken out more than he had anticipated.

 _But it was worth it!_ He thought, feeling immensely proud of himself.

When he had finally gotten there he saw that the shack was bustling with activity. It seemed that Soos and Melody were swamped, but he could see a smile on Soos's face.

Sitting down where no one could see him, he pulled out his Journal. On the the first page were the wheels. On the Pine Wheel, counter the Cipher Wheel, he placed an Exclamation mark.

It was the opposite of the Question Mark. The Question mark was of confusion, curiosity, Soos. It did fit the man-child during the Summer, but not now. The Exclamation mark was certainty, excitement and a better symbol for his friend. His friend, while innocent was a...mildly responsible adult and making his way in life.

 _One down, a whole town to go._ Dipper thought.

Dipper was taken from his thoughts by his phone ringing. Looking at the screen he saw that it was Mabel. One of her hundreds of calls. He could have ignored it, like he had been doing all day, but now certain words were ringing in his head.

And Soos's grandmother's threat. That lady unnerved him.

"Hello?" He spoke calmly.

"I don't know who you are. I don't know what you want. If you are looking for ransom, I can tell you I don't have money. But what I do have is a pig with a very particular set of skills, skills that he has acquired over a very long career. Skills that make him a nightmare for people like you. If you let my brother go now, that'll be the end of it. He will not look for you, He will not pursue you. But if you don't, he will look for you, he will find you, and he will kill you."

"Mabel, stop watching Taken with mom." Dipper sighed, though he couldn't resist smiling at his sister's randomness.

"Who are you and what are your demands!" She hissed.

"There are no demands." He sighed again. "Mabel it's me, Dipper."

"...Do you have any idea what we're going through!?" Mabel shouted. "I have been stress eating all the bacon in the house! Waddles won't even look me in the eyes anymore!"

"How is Waddles?" Dipper asked hoping to calm her. It failed.

"Horrified!" Mabel shouted. "He thinks I'm a monster!"

 _No need to push this off any further._ Dipper thought as he took a deep breath. "How are mom and dad?"

"...They're scared Dipper." She answered in a more subdued voice. "Where are you, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, and you know where I am."

There was a pause as Mabel processed his words. "You really went back there."

"You knew I would Mabel." Dipper stated.

"I thought that you'd see some sense!"

"I am seeing." Dipper assured. "Now more so than ever."

"I'm telling mom and dad where you are." Mabel stated.

"No, you won't." Dipper stated sure she was.

"No...I won't." She agreed sadly. "How'd you know?"

"Because I trust you."

"Dipper, why are you doing this!?" Mabel demanded.

Here it was, he never did tell her why. He didn't think he could, or that she'd understand.

"I tried- _we_ tried to tell everyone of our Summer in this place." Dipper stated as he recalled the memory. "We even showed them my recordings and your pictures, and what happened when we did?"

"They laughed." Mabel answered somberly. "They thought it was just stories...a joke."

"It was more than that!" Dipper insisted, almost angrily. "When we pushed that it was true, when they realized we were serious, they _ridiculed_ us! They thought _we_ were a joke!" He sighed as he tried to push his anger down. "...Even mom and dad didn't believe us."

"Dipper, I know that no one-"

"Don't do that." Dipper cut in seriously. "Don't try to comfort me and tell me it'll all blow over. We both know it's too late for that."

"It's never too late!" Mabel stated, ever the optimist. "You're just running away, like when Bill trapped me!"

"You tried to hide from your problems." Dipper corrected. "I'm solving mine."

"How?"

"Can you see those people out there Mabel? A whole world of magic right under their noses and the don't even notice. And when they do they just _rationalize_ it or hide it from society." The very thought of it made him want to puke. "But we know what's out there, don't we?"

"Yes." Mabel answered in barely a whisper.

"And now we're supposed to _forget_ about it?" He asked incredulously. "Why would I ever want to do that?"

Dipper hung up the phone before Mabel could reply, if she had one, no doubt his sister would call again, but not for awhile. Hopefully she'd think of what he said. He felt...not better, but it needed to be done, like a band-aid coming off.

He turned back to his Journal.

"My strings are cut and now I'm fre~e." Dipper spoke in a sing-song manner. "And soon you'll all~ be like me."

 **Review-Be honest, was it as good as you hoped? Worth the wait?**

 **I wanted to say thank you all for the sudden and constant reviews, it's what keeps me motivated. The more I get the more I focus on it. I have a lot planned for this story and hope you all stick with me. Keep reviewing!**

 **I apologize for the wait and wanted to say that this was just a little difficult to get out. They should be coming more frequently now.**


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own 'Gravity Falls'

 **I apologize for the wait, I originally had the chapter almost done, but it got erased. After all that hard work, it was hard to repeat it and it was pushed to the side. However, news that Gravity Falls may be returning as a novel has revived my will to continue this! So please don't give up on this story! Or The Author's Apprentice!**

 **Those who like this and 'The A** **uthor Apprentice', who would like to see it's opposite? A Bill's Apprentice based story.**

* * *

 **Partners**

 _"I'm telling mom and dad where you are." Mabel stated._

 _"No, you won't." Dipper stated sure she was._

 _"No...I won't." She agreed sadly. "How'd you know?"_

 _"Because I trust you."_

Mabel sighed after brother hung up on her, she wished he hadn't said that.

"Mabel, was that Dipper?" Her mother asked frantically.

"No." Mabel answered without thinking.

Dipper may have thought Mabel hadn't understood, but she did. She did! Gravity Falls was her home too! She missed it just as much as he did and wanted to return just as much!

Sure she had friends and fun here, more so than her brother, but it wasn't the same. People didn't understand her like in Gravity Falls. There people were just as weird as her if not more so, she was...not normal, but herself. She could be as Mabel as she wanted and it was okay. No rude stares or mean comments behind her back, just another day.

Mabel never thought she'd see the day she was more patient than Dipper. She had just assumed they'd visit during school breaks and the holidays until the summer. That they would move into the strange town together once they finished school. They'd get jobs at the Mystery Shack or open some paranormal agency and help out around town. Make a life there.

"If you trust me so much, why didn't you take me with you?" Mabel asked herself.

When she got no answer from the phone, she sighed and hung up. Reaching into her sweater pocket, she pulled out her sweater bacon. It always helped her relax.

Her pig Waddles could only look on in betrayal.

"Don't look at me Waddles." Mabel spoke as she stress ate the bacon. "I said don't look at me!"

* * *

-Back in Gravity Falls

Dipper felt pretty rested, but still off. That stunt he had pulled at the diner earlier that day had drained him so much that he had to sleep. A simple nap later and he was ready.

Dipper sat patiently in the diner, waiting for his guest to arrive. After the fiasco with the Sheriff and the reporters and all who watched the performance Dipper made, decided that the diner was the best place. No one would expect him to have too meetings in a single day. Or at least, not in the same place.

"Hello Mr. North-West." Dipper greeted. "Pacifica."

"Hello Mr. Pines." Mr. North-West greeted.

"Dipper." His blond friend smiled.

"Thank you for meeting me." Dipper spoke. "I must admit, I never thought you'd accept an invitation from...me."

"Well one must never turn away opportunity until one knows what it is." The man spoke. "Also, I must congratulate you. That was an impressive performance you put on for the cameras. A nice way to convince people to visit that Shack of yours."

Dipper decided to change the subject. "Do you still have stocks in those stocks from Weirdmageddon?"

"Maybe." Preston answered, not giving anything away. "Are they of use?"

Dipper smiled an unnatural smile towards the father-daughter pair.

"The North-Wests, Gleefuls, Pines, we're all just spokes on a wheel." Dipper stated. "He's on top and then she's on top and on and on it spins, crushing those on the ground."

"Ah, the wheel of fate and power." Preston stated, as if he understood. "Many try to stop the wheel to keep themselves and their family in power. I see you're another attempting to do so. A noble goal that many have tried." Preston stated. "All they end up doing is becoming another spoke."

"I'm not going to stop the wheel." Dipper stated with a wide smile. "I'm going to _break_ the wheel."

The look on Preston's face was priceless, the pure shock of his declaration. Pacifica just raised an eyebrow in shock and curiosity.

"Break it?"

"I'm going to stop the cycle of power."

"That's insane."

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while hoping for a different response." Dipper clarified. "I can assure you that what I am doing is as far from insane as possible."

"And what do you plan on replacing it with?" Preston asked.

"I don't know." Dipper admitted.

"You don't know?" Pacifica asked with a raised eyebrow. "I thought you were the smart twin."

"I plan on seeking out the unknown." Dipper stated. "It's unknown for a reason."

"Pacifica North-West, you're the one who inspired me." Dipper stated. "You cut your strings! But you're not free, not yet!"

"Your words would probable be sweet if it made since." She muttered. "But I haven't done anything, I'm not anything-"

"I don't know what you're planning boy," Preston stated, dropping all forms of politeness. "But I'll not be a part of your games."

"It seems that you misunderstand my offer Mr. NorthWest." Dipper stated. "My deal isn't for you, it's for Pacifica."

"Me!?" She asked.

Dipper's smile got all the wider. Pacifica had just been planning to listen to the whole discussion and was honestly taken back, she had no idea where he was going with this. Though she was beginning to suspect that it was exactly what Dipper wanted.

"Mr. North-West, as a business man you must understand that credibility is something that you no longer have." Dipper stated. "You lost it when you refused to allow commoners into your party and risked the lives of your associates. What you had left was shredded when you attempted to join Bill Cipher."

The mention of his past failures brought a scowl to Preston's face as he was reminded of why he even appeared to this meeting. A meeting with a child! His actions at the party had put him a in bad light with many of his associates. People equally powerful, and some even more so, as him in the business world. He had just barely managed to keep what holdings he had through the declaration of protecting his family.

Then came Weird-Mageddon. He had been so hasty to please the powerful being that he attempted to openly join. Going as far as to invest in stock for such a purpose. It seemed like such a good idea at the time, how was he to know a rag-tag team of misfits would win. There had been no coming back after that fiasco.

"But you can fix that, can't you." Preston stated more than asked. "You could afflict them with something...damaging." Preston stated. "I don't mean that I need anyone dead, but great misfortune on them or their business would be satisfactory."

"You want me to hurt someone?" Dipper asked.

"That's how it works, right?" Preston asked confidently. "There needs to be a balance of some kind. To even things out. Isn't that why deals are made?" He continued. "That's why you wanted me here." You want-no, need my daughter for whatever you're planning, or not planning." As he state that, he placed a hand on his daughter causing her to flinch. "You need he father to guide her on the choices she needs to make."

Dipper blinked once before turning his attention to Pacifica. The way he was talking was as if she wasn't his daughter but something to barter. Like a domesticated pet. Like a Llama.

"Pacifica, what do you see?"

Pacifica twitched at suddenly having so much attention placed on her, she struggled as she mentally searched for the right way to answer. He was her dad, the poor excuse of one that he was, and s. Yet, as she stared at Dipper, she felt compelled to speak the truth.

"I see...the same thing happening here." Pacifica answered automatically. "My dad trying to bend anything he can to his side."

"And how does that make you feel?"

"I feel annoyed and tired of it." She admitted. "It's the same thing over and over again, like a...wheel."

"And do you want to follow that same thing over and over again?"

"The other option has never been explored!" Preston exclaimed. "Who knows what can happen!?

"Exactly!" Dipper exclaimed. "Pacifica, you weight the scales right now." Dipper stated. "Take my hand, cut your strings and come with me to the unknown. Or..."

"Or?" She questioned.

"Or stay and follow the cycle you already know." Dipper answered.

Preston could see that he was losing whatever ground he thought he had, and from what the boy had said, it wasn't much to begin with. Dipper had been there for his daughter. His daughter, who he no longer had a proper hold on. Not since that accursed party he had held when she allowed the commoners in.

"Now daughter." Preston spoke. "We've listened to his ramblings long enough, let's-"

Whatever he was going to say was drowned out by Pacifica's thoughts. She knew that if she let him lead her away then things would go back to normal. She'd go back to being exactly the stereotype Mabel called her out to be. Her father would continue to dictate her life an she'd follow along, too afraid and ashamed to do anything else. Like a animal being herded.

She didn't want that.

"You're Pacifica North-West!" Dipper stated, as he tried a different approach. "You come from one of the richest families in the world and you told them to beat it! You were the North-West that broke your family's tradition when you opened that door for the commoners. And you stood with us doing our final battle with inter-dimensional demons while your dad tried to kiss up to them! You don't need them!"

"But..."

"Insanity would be wasting your life with a nothing when you have the blood of a liar flowing in your veins." Dipper declared. "Insanity is being humiliated, beat down, coasting through life on a miserable existence when you have a caged lioness locked inside and the key to release it."

"It's a choice, Pacifica, that each of us must face: to remain ordinary, pathetic, beat-down, coasting through a miserable existence, like lama herded by fate, or you can take control of your own destiny and join us, releasing the caged lioness you have inside!"

"We're leaving daughter." Preston stated. "Now."

"What do _you_ want Pacifica?"

"I want-" What did she want. Everything Dipper said appealed to her, but she needed a true goal if she wanted to move on. What goals did she have that her father hadn't influenced onto her? What did Pacifica North-West want?

Someone walked into the diner, causing the bell to ring. It caused an involuntary flinch in Pacifica. While her parents no longer use the bell to influence her, the affects of years of control was still there. And she hated it.

"I want to be free." Pacifica stated. "I want to be the Lioness that eats the Llama."

"We can make that happen." Dipper stated as he held out his hand.

"Wait, what do you want?" She asked. Friend or not, or whatever they were, no one would be involved in something like this for free. "A deal is a two way streak."

"I want..." What did he want, _I guess it comes to what I've been doing all summer_. No, that was exactly what put him on his escapade in the first place. "To cut the stings that bind us, make us all free."

Dipper put out his hands, all she had to do was shake and the agreement would be set. Without a second thought, Pacifica took his hand. There was a flash of fire between the two as they shook hands, surprising them. Though neither jumped apart. _Looks like we just made a deal._ Dipper thought curiously.

"So we're partners?" Pacifica asked, trying to stay as calm as Dipper. _Oh God, our hands are on fire! Fire that's not burning!_

"Partners." Dipper answered happily.

* * *

Somewhere in the world there were two brothers. So similar but completely different from each other. One a man of science and the other a man of simplicity, but both were men of mystery.

Stanford and Stanley Pines, who preferred to be called Ford and Stan respectively.

They had been separated for so long, yet being back together was as if the missed years were nothing but missed minutes.

Ford wrote into his newest Journal while his brother slept in the cot across from his. A large red book with a six fingered hand on the cover and the number four drawn on it. The latest collection of information for his paranormal research.

He had been so far gone in his research that he almost hadn't noticed his brother. Stan Pines began to toss and turn before going completely still. Unnaturally so. Ford stood as he called out to his brother.

"Stan, you okay?" Ford asked as he moved closer. "Stan?"

Stan sat up in his bed and reached for something out of his reach. His eyes snapped open, revealing yellow-glowing scleras with cat-like pupils. They stared off into the wall of their room, but seemed to be looking elsewhere.

"Tuc neeb evah sgnirts eht!" Stan shouted. "NRUTER TSUM I nruter tsum I! A-x-o-l-o-t-l! nekorb neeb sah leehW ehT!"

 **Review**

 **I'M SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE, YOUR REVIEWS HAVE BEEN KIND. DON'T WORRY, I'M BACK! WHAT DO YOU ALL THINK?**

 **Not too rushed is it? I know that it's a strange question after so long, but I want it to be good.**

 **Those who like this and 'The A** **uthor Apprentice', who would like to see it's opposite? A Bill's Apprentice based story.**


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